Charging while camping

[Whoisbill]

Hey guys,

hoping to get some information. We have a camping trip scheduled for mid august. The plan is to take the MY, provided it shows up by then, if not, we will take the 3.

We have a tent site that has a 30amp hook up, for pop up trailers. The plan is to use that 30amp. But I am unsure what kind of plug it is. I called the campground and they had no clue, they just could tell me it has a 30 amp hook up.

In doing some research, it seems it would probably be a TT-30 connection, at first I had assumed it would be some kind of NEMA plug, but I am reading that at campgrounds and for RVs they look that NEMA plugs, but they are wired differently so a TT-30 is needed.

Is that other peoples thoughts as well? That chances are, it's a TT-30 so I need a TT-30 adapter? Tesla doesn't sell them, so I would go third party. EVSE sells them, but they are $60, which seems like a lot for an adapter ( at least it communicates with the car so you don't have to set the AMPs, but my wife doesn't think it's a big deal to just set it ourselves) With a tt-30, i am also seeing they are only 120v, is this true? If so, what kind of charge rate should i see? They also have normal 3 prong connections that would get me 5 mph, is the tt-30 worth it?

Thanks guys!!!

 

[Watts_Up]

EVSE sells them, but they are $60, which seems like a lot for an adapter
( at least it communicates with the car so you don't have to set the AMPs,
but my wife doesn't think it's a big deal to just set it ourselves)
With a tt-30, i am also seeing they are only 120v, is this true?
If so, what kind of charge rate should i see?
They also have normal 3 prong connections that would get me 5 mph, is the tt-30 worth it?

I got the following TT-30 EV adapter at Home Depot,
Note: You will need to adjust your car setting to 24 A because of the NEMA 14-50 plug.
And yes, it's only 120 V. So speed would be twice as a typical NEMA 5-15.

There is also an TT-30 RV adapter, but for this adapter the TT-30 Neutral pin goes to the NEMA 14-50 Neutral pin.
While for EV adapter, the TT-30 Neutral pin goes to the other NEMA 14-50 hot pin.

 

[Whoisbill]

I got the following TT-30 EV adapter at Home Depot,
Note: You will need to adjust your car setting to 24 A because of the NEMA 14-50 plug.
And yes, it's only 120 V. So speed would be twice as a typical NEMA 5-15.

There is also an TT-30 RV adapter, but for this adapter the TT-30 Neutral pin goes to the NEMA 14-50 Neutral pin.
While for EV adapter, the TT-30 Neutral pin goes to the other NEMA 14-50 hot pin.

So I have the gen 2 mobile charger. It's just a standard 3 prong connection for a standard plug. Will this adapter work with that? Looks like I need the NEMA 14-50. Thanks!

That stinks about charge speed, I assumed RVs used 240v connections.

 

[Webeevdrivers]

So I have the gen 2 mobile charger. It's just a standard 3 prong connection for a standard plug. Will this adapter work with that? Looks like I need the NEMA 14-50. Thanks!

That stinks about charge speed, I assumed RVs used 240v connections.

RV’s do use 240 volt. Just not all of them. And many camp grounds only have 30 amp service. That is 120 volts 30 amps provided by a TT30 receptacle. All RV’s can use this service through adapters. Bigger RV’s quite often are equipped for 50 amp 240 volt service. Thru use a 14-50 stove plug and of course the campground has the matching receptacle.

Max you’ll get from a TT30 is 3 KW. Should be fine for a campground stay.

 

[MY-Y]

I use a TT-30 to 14-50 adapter regularly when camping. It puts the single phase 120 on both hots of the 14-50. This is great for ny RV, but will provide no power to a Tesla. The Tesla expects 240 volts between the hots.

 

[Webeevdrivers]

I use a TT-30 to 14-50 adapter regularly when camping. It puts the single phase 120 on both hots of the 14-50. This is great for ny RV, but will provide no power to a Tesla. The Tesla expects 240 volts between the hots.

Correct sort of. if you use a TT30 specifically made for the UMC the UMC will function fine on 120 at 24 amps providing 3 KW for charging.

This is what we purchased. Works well.

TT-30 Adapter for Tesla Model S/X/3/Y Gen 2 – EVSE Adapters

 

[Whoisbill]

Correct sort of. if you use a TT30 specifically made for the UMC the UMC will function fine on 120 at 24 amps providing 3 KW for charging.

This is what we purchased. Works well.

TT-30 Adapter for Tesla Model S/X/3/Y Gen 2 – EVSE Adapters

Wait. Now I'm confused haha. Are you saying, I HAVE to have that one because others won't work? My wife didn't want to spend $60 for an adapter. But unless it plugs into the UMC I won't charge?

 

[Webeevdrivers]

Wait. Now I'm confused haha. Are you saying, I HAVE to have that one because others won't work? My wife didn't want to spend $60 for an adapter. But unless it plugs into the UMC I won't charge?

If you want to get 24 amps (at 120 volts) from the TT30 campground receptacle you need the UMC tail, or adapter or whatever you call it specifically built for the TT30 receptacle. That’s how it works. If you use RV adapters as soon as the UMC sees 120 volts it will only allow 12 amps pass thru because it thinks you are on a standard 120 volt 15 amp circuit. The TT30 UMC adapter in my link tells the UMC that it is connected to a 30 amp source and to allow 24 amps to pass. Hence 3 KW.

I suck at explaining this stuff. Hope that works for you.

 

[brkaus]

Yes, it is likely a TT-30 and you need the proper adapter. It is 120v. No option. It is a standard NEMA plug.

Perhaps you don’t need that rate? Most also have 20a 120v. That adapter is available from Tesla. It will give you about 20% faster charging over the standard 120v 15a outlet.

regarding RVs and 240v - yes, many of the larger ones do utilize a 14-50 240v outlet. But in reality all the appliances on board are 120v. They just spit them between the phases. That is why there are some TT-30 adapters that work for Tesla vs RVs as mentioned above.

My advice - suck it up and buy the adapter. A camping trip is a lot cheaper than a hotel. Also, have a backup plan. RV campgrounds are notorious for having bad wiring. A typical RV uses far less instantaneous & sustained energy than an EV recharging.

 

[SSedan]

24amps from this will more than double the 12amps you get from a 5-15 because overhead consumption doesn't change.

You could just use an adapter to plug the 5-15 Tesla connector into the TT30 and get your usual 5-15 rate, that would be cheap and safe so long as the adapter is well built.
I understand the hesitance to buy a $60, but if it makes you more relaxed about range anxiety on the camping trip and opens up camp ground options for next year isn't that worth it.

 

[Whoisbill]

If you want to get 24 amps (at 120 volts) from the TT30 campground receptacle you need the UMC tail, or adapter or whatever you call it specifically built for the TT30 receptacle. That’s how it works. If you use RV adapters as soon as the UMC sees 120 volts it will only allow 12 amps pass thru because it thinks you are on a standard 120 volt 15 amp circuit. The TT30 UMC adapter in my link tells the UMC that it is connected to a 30 amp source and to allow 24 amps to pass. Hence 3 KW.

I suck at explaining this stuff. Hope that works for you.

No that's on me haha so many plugs and ways to wire stuff it just confuses me haha. That's for explaining again haha

Is the 3kw worth the $60 cost? I get about 5mph on a standard plug. What would I see with the correct adapter? 7-8mph?

 

[Webeevdrivers]

No that's on me haha so many plugs and ways to wire stuff it just confuses me haha. That's for explaining again haha

Is the 3kw worth the $60 cost? I get about 5mph on a standard plug. What would I see with the correct adapter? 7-8mph?

You would see exactly double...plus a little bit. A standard 120 volt receptacle allows for 1.5 KW. With the TT30 adapter you will get 3 KW. Depending on how long you are at a site will determine its value for you.

We own an RV lot with a 14-50 and TT30 receptacle on it. We use the 14-50 for the Motorhome and the TT30 for the car. The TT30 works well for us and was worth the money.

 

[Whoisbill]

Yup. That makes sense. Thanks to everyone for the answers, was a huge help!!

 

[Whoisbill]

Just ordered, now I just need the delivery text for the MY haha.

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[Webeevdrivers]

Just ordered, now I just need the delivery text for the MY haha.

Thanks again for all the help!

Our pleasure.

 

[rhumbliner]

@Cosmacelf maintains an exhaustive guide to charging options and adapters. I’d recommend anyone with an EV to brush up on this:

CarCharging.us

Forgive me for being a bit pendantic, but TT-30 is a NEMA plug/receptacle. NEMA is just a system of classifying receptacles.

 

[Cosmacelf]

@Cosmacelf maintains an exhaustive guide to charging options and adapters. I’d recommend anyone with an EV to brush up on this:

CarCharging.us

Forgive me for being a bit pendantic, but TT-30 is a NEMA plug/receptacle. NEMA is just a system of classifying receptacles.

You're forgiven. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Watts_Up]

@Cosmacelf maintains an exhaustive guide to charging options and adapters.
I’d recommend anyone with an EV to brush up on this: CarCharging.us

Thank you for the link, very useful content, I like in particular this Receptacle Identification page.

 

[Rocky_H]

Now that EVSEAdapters sells very nicely made real-ish adapter plugs that fit correctly to the 2nd generation mobile charge cable and properly signal the amp limit and also include the temperature sensor in the plug head, I will never recommend any other kind of "this to that" kinds of hokey plug adapters like that thing sold through Home Depot. This isn't 2013 anymore, and we do not have to hack around with crummy bad solutions like that anymore. Just buy the great ones from EVSEAdapters as needed if it's one Tesla doesn't make.

 

[Rocky_H]

Forgive me for being a bit pendantic, but TT-30 is a NEMA plug/receptacle. NEMA is just a system of classifying receptacles.

No need about forgiving; I applaud you for that! It bugs me too, when I see people use the word NEMA as if it refers to one specific type of outlet. It's like the word "metric". It's the name for a system of classification. You wouldn't ask how many metrics it is between Cleveland and Dayton.